Report: Buffalo Bills to Sign Trent Murphy

Trent Murphy is slated to sign with the Buffalo Bills according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport who first reported on the news. ESPN’s Adam Schefter detailed that his new deal is for three years and worth $21 million although it could carry a max value of $30 million. Murphy is entering his fifth NFL season after spending the first four years of his career with the Washington Redskins.

Murphy started all 14 games of his senior season at Stanford totaling 10 sacks and 18 tackles for loss, which both led the team. The Cardinal had the most sacks in FBS that season. Murphy was named 1st team All-Pac-12 and was selected as a third-team All-American by the Associated Press. He also won Stanford’s Jack Huston Award, which was voted on by his peers and given for “aggressiveness, exceptional performance, and unheralded efforts” according to the college’s website.

Murphy returned to Stanford to play football as a fifth-year senior in 2013, improving on his numbers from the year before by totaling 62 combined tackles, 15 sacks (which led the NCAA). He was named to the All-Pac-12 First team for a second consecutive year, and Stanford beat Arizona in early December to earn their second straight Pac-12 title. Stanford was defeated in the Rose Bowl by Michigan State, 24-20. Murphy was once again awarded the Jack Huston award, was named an All-American by the A.P. and Walter Camp Football Foundation and was named to the 2013 College Football Consensus All-American Team.

Murphy had four tackles in the Senior Bowl and attended the 2014 NFL Combine, participating in drills for both defensive end and linebacker.

He was then drafted by Washington in the second round (47th overall) of the 2014 NFL Draft, signing a 4-year $4.47 million contract.

Starting outside linebacker Brian Orakpo was placed on injured reserve with a torn pectoral a few games into Murphy’s rookie season, giving Murphy the starting outside linebacker job. After making his eighth consecutive start, Murphy suffered a hand injury against the Philadelphia Eagles that forced him to injured reserve and prematurely ended his season after it was discovered he had a broken bone in his right hand. Murphy finished his rookie NFL season with 32 combined tackles and 2.5 sacks.

Murphy entered the 2015 season as the starting strong-side linebacker and bounced between linebacker and defensive end the next two years due to injury and team need. This past August, Murphy tore his ACL in Washington’s preseason opener against the Baltimore Ravens and entered free agency after missing the entire 2017 season.

In 2016, Murphy had 47 tackles (29 solo/18 assists) and nine sacks.

Murphy has 112 tackles, 15 sacks, two pass deflections, six forced fumbles, and four fumbles recovered in his career.